The Gang of Pour
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From the Road to Gang O’ Pour: Further Conversations
With Mr. Ridge THIRD COURSE: Grilled (barbied) pork cutlets on roasted vegetables, Gorgonzola mashed potatoes and a rosemary & thyme scented jus served with a 1995 Ridge Lytton Springs Zinfandel.
With that, we moved on to the ’95 Ridge Lytton Springs, and what a lovely wine it was! Again, this exhibited all of the big, rich brier and bramble, blackberry-raspberry-blueberry flavors that have become the hallmark of Ridge zins over the years. It seemed to fall about halfway between the style of the ‘94’s and the bigger, richer bottlings of the early ‘90’s, and proved to be a perfect match for the pork cutlets and gorgonzola mashed potatoes. Though gorgeous now, it will be even better in a year or two. It was at about that time that Mr. Flippy arrived. An
engaging
Frenchman with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, and
perhaps the Zinfans’ closest friend, he apparently
isn’t too furniture-friendly, and as proof, one has
only to notice the arms missing from two of their chairs.
Apparently, the Zinfan had another of his cunning plans in mind, because he went to his kitchen and returned with a loaf of freshly baked bread and a round of pungent Epoisses de Borgougne, undoubtedly the stinkiest cheese this taster has ever encountered!
EPILOGUE: We woke the next morning to be greeted to C.Z.’s superb cappuccino, and his delightful daughter, Devon. After a couple of cups, we took brunch at an excellent Dim Sum restaurant known as Wok and Roll. After sating ourselves thoroughly, we visited the local outlet of the L.C.B.O. (Liquor Control Board of Ontario). The Zin People wished us to see the conditions for the purchase of wine and alcohol that they were forced to endure, and I must say, they are wretched. Prices are slightly inflated by Michigan standards, and the selection is pathetic. It consisted mostly of bottlings that were of the fighting varietal category; this taster found a 1987 Montecillo Vina Monty Gran Reserva Rioja, for $17 Canadian, that will hopefully prove to be the pleasant exception to an otherwise bland rule. After this sad experience, The Director and I had a much better understanding of why Ontario winelovers make periodic pilgrimages to Detroit and Rochester, N.Y. With that, we bid our friends goodbye, and began |
The Road To After sating ourselves thoroughly, we visited the local outlet of the L.C.B.O. (Liquor Control Board of Ontario). The Zin People wished us to see the conditions for the purchase of wine and alcohol that they were forced to endure, and I must say, they are wretched. Prices are slightly inflated by Michigan standards, and the selection is pathetic.
IN ATTENDANCE 4-4-97 This Taster Canadian Zinfan Zinchick The Director Mr. Flippy
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He’s also been known to go over, rather than around,
said furniture, thus his nickname. Nevertheless, he is a
delightful fellow, and the festivities livened up
considerably with his presence. As he was sampling the
glasses that we’d saved for him, we moved on to the ’92 Ridge Lytton Springs. In
my notes, I wrote, "This is what it’s all
about!" It suffered only in that it still needs a
few more years to resolve some tannins, but, what a wine!
Again, it showed all of the rich bramble berry aromas and
flavors that one associates with great zinfandel, along
with creamy dark chocolate, licorice, and red currents
and pepper on the finish. Somehow, three of us agreed
that it had an element to its nose that was reminiscent
of an aquarium!?!
This innocuous-looking pale and creamy
example of French cheese mastery, at its peak of
perfection, is to cheese, what a 92 Lytton Springs is
to Zinfandel. When it oozes onto your plate, its
orange rind all sweaty and sticky, with an earthy,
ripe, gamey odour permeating from within its pale and
creamy centre, you know no ordinary wine will do. It
takes a sturdy wine to stand up to Epoisses, and
Zinfandel, thank god, is the ideal candidate. It was
indeed quite tasty, and married perfectly with Mr.
Ridge, providing a lovely ending to a great
evening."
the two hour
journey home, marveling not only at the fabulous food and
wine that was enjoyed the previous evening, but even
more, the camaraderie that we’d developed with them,
after only two encounters. We can’t wait till the
next time -- eight days together in Sonoma!
